Veritate Venit
by Death By Metal
Summary: Peace is a distant memory. All I know now is the hunt- the hunt in which I am the prey. He hunts me tirelessly, and diligently, his army behind him. With the Wasteland that is Massachusetts at his fingertips, where can I run? Where can I hide? Nowhere.
1. Chapter 1

**Veritate Venit**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Fallout franchise. I do, however, own any original characters you see here. This disclaimer is in effect for the whole story.**

I suppose I should start at the beginning...

My name is Veritas. Veritas Venitus- I was told my parents misspelled it, but I don't care. I can't really blame them. I am, currently, 19 years old, just shy of six feet, and I weigh in at about 140 lbs. My childhood was...

Different. I am a slave for Mr. Jones, a rich, whiny fuck, who doesn't seem fond of letting any of us outside. We're in an underground bunker, which is safe, I guess, but not really... entertaining. I have the same routine everyday, an annoying bunkmate, and multiple tedious activities. Nothing ever changes, and nothing ever will- or at least, that's what I thought.

In fact, I only have one bright part of my day- Lara. She works in the kitchen, alongside all the female slaves that are considered too young to be in Jones' bed, and seems to always have a smile on her face. Her quarters are across from mine, and we spend a lot of time together during the hour of socialization we have every other day.

Anyways, on the days that I can't talk to her, I usually just kinda laze around, sort of getting my assignments done. I've been lazy since the day I could walk- usually choosing not to. I also eat ridiculous amounts in comparison to the other slaves- usually I swipe all the leftovers. That's one bright side of 'working' for Jones. You never go hungry, despite how insufferable the prick can be.

Now, the day that everything changed for me was just like any other one- I woke up, went to the cafeteria, ate, and went about my duties like any other day. I remember, me and my bunkmate, Jason, were cleaning the bathrooms. Always the worst job.

Oh, yeah. Forgot to mention. Jason is a ghoul. And not the nice, submissive kind, either. Fucker is always in my face, always doing everything he could to aggravate me. He looks like something out of a horror movie, and I swear, everyday another piece of him is gone, rotted away. It looks like somebody took a cheese grater to his face.

Anyways, I was scrubbing away at a particularly nasty...something, when Jay decided to initiate conversation. In the most fucking annoying, gross, just messed up way possible.

He threw part of his ear at me. His ear. His fucking EAR! Rotted, gross, just... ugh. I felt sick, as it splattered against my face. Somehow, something so small just reeked of corpse, and... I don't even know. Just to start a conversation.

"Hey, smoothskin!" he says, his low, gravelly voice clawing at my ear drums.

"What, Jay?" I respond, an annoyed inflection poisoning my words.

"Wanna toss me the sponge?"

"Why, cleaning up part of your face?"

"Very funny, smoothskin. No, I can't find mine. Think Grubby ate it..."

Grubby. Ugh. That was Jason's 'pet' radroach- which, for one reason or another, was completely fucking docile. Everytime Jones made him get rid of it, the thing somehow made it back- and I swear, it's unkillable. It's been stabbed, shot, maimed, and the thing just won't die. And it eats everything.

"...Fine, sure, whatever. But you're doing my part of the work, Jay. Everything has a price- and don't expect me to cover for you if ol' Jonesy comes. At least you don't have to worry about him biting your head off, though. He'd never get the taste of Zombie out of his mouth if he did." I spat, tossing the sponge.

Jason grunted, eyes narrowing. "Watch yourself, smoothskin. There's such thing as 'too far'." he said, cracking his knuckles. I gulped. I might not like the guy, but I've seen him fight. He's... Way outta my league. In fact, a lot of people are completely out of my league. I can't fight, but, I get really lucky sometimes, and hit something important.

Not that I fight a lot. I've been in...three? About that. Only won one of them. But that's besides the point...

Jason must have caught the sponge, because he was scrubbing away tirelessly at something- when we heard a knock on the door, prompting me to gulp. Uh-oh. The only person who comes around when the 'Being Cleaned' sign is up is...

"Jason, gimme my sponge!" I yell, rushing over to him- he was a foot or so away from me. I reach for it, but he withdraws his hand.

"Ah ah ah, Smoothskin. Pay back is a bitch." he teases, baring his rotting teeth in a grin.

I cock back my foot, and bury it into his sternum, momentarily forgetting everything- damn my temper. This was gonna bite me in the ass...

Anyways, as he clutches at his side, I rush towards the door, unlocking it and opening it, as I fixed my hair- staring back at me was Jones, a crooked grin on his face. Next to him was Harry, his bodyguard, and Bear, Jones' dog. Harry didn't like me much, but Jones seemed to have taken a liking to me. Don't know why for either of them.

"Ah, Mister Venitus. Pleasure, as always." Jones said, extending a hand. I gripped it firmly, shaking it. First thing he noticed on me was my lack of a sponge. Second thing? I wasn't sweating.

"Slacking as always, I see..." he says, frowning. Damn. Bastard's perceptive.

"Well, I er.. Uh.. Somebody took my sponge. I was actually going to requisition another..." I lied, scratching the back of my head, while grinning sheepishly.

Tch. I need to work on my lying skills.

Harry glared at me, handing resting on the baton at his waist. Guy loved using it, too- and he was deadly with it. He was also giant- the others say that he came from some military group on the surface, but I don't know. I wouldn't cross him, ever- although, I have a tendency to annoy him whenever I can.

"So, Harry. How's your day been?" I ask, grin fading.

He grunts, shaking his head. Bad. Uh-oh.

"Not gonna talk?" 

He stares blankly at me.

"Really? After all we've been through?"

Nothing.

Fun.

I shifted my gaze over to Jones, releasing his hand- had I been holding it this whole time?

"So, uh, boss. Why're you here?"

"To check on you- you're actually the last person on my list, other than Jason. Hrm."

That's me. Last. Always. Had it's benefits- but when I was young it was a little degrading. During class I'd be the last person called for roll call, though, so when I got there late it wasn't a problem.

"Veritas. Question." Jones says, tone shifting.

"Hrm?" 

"You have the lowest job completion rate out of everybody. Even worse than Old Man Smithers. And he can't walk."

"I'm not built for work. I'm built for..." I said, struggling to come up with a witty remark. Damn.

"Fix it, Veritas. That's all." he said, turning around, and walking down the corridor. Harry followed him, and I watched them turn around the corridor. I swiveled on my feet, frowning, glaring at Jason.

"Goddamnit, Jay, gimme my damn spo-" I was cut off by a deafening explosion, coming from somewhere down the hall. What the hell? Suddenly, I heard strange, loud pops coming from the hallway, and Jason's eyes widened.

"What's going on?" I asked, panic rising in my voice. I struggled to keep it back, but I was beginning to freak out.

Jason's demeanor changed rather quickly, his eyebrows narrowing. "Gunfire." he spits, coolly

Now, I'd known Jason my whole life. And I know he's been around-in order to become a Ghoul, you have to be exposed to lots of radiation, and survive. I've never seen Jason's eyes look like they do now. Cold. Calculating. I was shaking, frightened. Guns? I didn't know what was happening.

"What do you mean gunfire? Guns? Nobody down here has a gun except Jones and Harry!"

"You heard me, Smoothskin. Guns. We can't stay here- not if there's a gunfight. Go lock the door, and look around. Find something you can use as a sort of weapon."

I stood there, looking dumb, just kinda... glancing around, shaking. Guns? Would I die? What could be happening out there? What i-

"VERITAS! DOOR! WEAPONS! GO!" Jason commanded, as he went into action. He ran into one of the bathroom stalls, and I heard a lot of clanking around. I wasn't sure what he was doing, so I ran over to the exit, and pressed the button for it to close, and then locked it.

My eyes scanned the room, as I looked for a weapon...

All I saw was the room, pretty much empty. There was nothing there. Nothing I could use. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I jumped, before turning around. It was just Jason.

"Fuck, man, you scared me!" I yelped.

"Calm down." he orders, handing me a pipe. In the stall, water was flowing out. I noticed that his hand had three dog-tags in it- the ones he usually wore around his neck.

"What're you gonna do with those?" I inquired.

"Makes my hits more painful, and do some more damage. I'm better with my fists than I am a pipe. Some keys would be better." he explained. Turning around, he points at the ventilation ducts. "Get that grate off. We're small enough to climb through it."

I nodded, rushing over to it, jumping up onto the sink. Hefting back my pipe, I swung it down with all my strength, smashing the grating. It dents, so I smash it again. And again. And once more- until it finally breaks, and falls off.

"Get in." the Ghoul orders. I nod in agreement, climbing up. I feel him enter into the vents behind me, and I start crawling around. He was silent, barely making any noise, but I... I wasn't. My pipe clanged around, and my elbows hit off the walls.

"Go left three times, and then turn right twice. We'll make it into our room. Gotta get Grubby, and some..contraband."

I grunt in agreement, following his orders. It was cramped in here- I hate small spaces. I also hate Grubby. The gunfire was getting louder, as though it was coming our way. Fuck. I rushed, crawling as fast as I could.

Suddenly, it dropped off, and I fell through a hole in the ceiling. Funny. I never even noticed it. I then noticed that I had landed on Jason's cot. Huh. I stood up, and shifted nervously. The gunfire seemed to just keep getting louder...

**Anyways, reviews please. Positive ones will make me want to update, assuming you /want/ me to update. Thanks.**

**-DBM**


	2. Chapter 2

**Review, please. I'll be very happy if you do.**

Jason had opened the footlocker at the end of his bed- the one he kept locked at all times. In it was...

A survival kit. Food, stimpacks, an old pistol, some ammo, and a pair of brass knuckles. He put on the brass knuckles, and holstered the handgun, in a hip holster he had taken out. The Ghoul tossed me a backpack, that he filled with food, water, etc. Of course. I had to do the heavy lifting.

"What's the plan?" I asked, worried. Every second the gunfire grew closer, louder. It was eerie, frightening, and really starting to get on my nerves.

"To leave." he answers.

"The bunker? What? No! Th-the Wasteland is out there! What if w-"

"Stop it, Smoothskin. Come with me outside, or I guarantee you're dying in here. I don't know what's going on, but it can't be good. "

I nod at him, agreeing (for once). He waves his hand, motioning for me to follow his lead. Crouching down, he makes his way over to the door- I mimic him, albeit in a less swift, graceful manner. Looking up through a window, he deemed it clear, opening the door and making his way through it.

I tagged along, before I remembered something- something important. Lara.

"Wait, Jay! We have to get Lara out! She might still be okay!" I said, pointing to her door- right across the hall.

He grunts, shaking his head. "No way, Smoothskin. Me and you hit the road. No girly."

I narrow my eyes, frowning at him. "You don't wanna go alone, do you?" I ask, my hand tightening around my lead pipe.

Shaking his head again, he walks over to Lara's door, glancing through the window. "Nice one, Smoothskin. Your girl is in the spot where the gunfire is REALLY close to. Instead of our 'Escape' plan, looks like we're going with the 'turn to swiss cheese' one. Damnit." he whines, opening the door.

I glare at him, swiftly passing him through the door. The gunfire grew louder, and louder, and I heard screams now. People yelling, dying. I clenched my teeth. Where is she? Is she dead? What if I die? Is this worth it? These questions wouldn't just... leave me alone.

Suddenly, I heard a voice I recognize- one that has brightened up every day for the past fifteen years of my life. But it was...

Distressed. A plea, a cry for help. Fuck. I decided to be an idiot, and, well...

I ran towards the cry. Like an idiot. I was thinking with my pipe, instead of my head I guess, because looking back, the only thing I really remember about Lara...

Are her brains splattered all over the floor. Towering over her was a beast of a man, a huge handcannon in his hand. I had made it in time to see him cock back the trigger on his revolver, press it to her cranium, and spray brain-goo all over the floor and walls. It was...

Horrifying. Turning around quickly, I vomited, my stomach acid coating the floor. The man looked at me, and I couldn't move- at least, I couldn't until two bullets buried themselves into the floor below me. Sprinting back towards Jason, who hadn't followed me towards the sound, I yelled, screaming my head off like an idiot- and maybe like a little girl.

I don't remember.

Anyways, I recall glancing back a few times- and the third or fourth time I glanced back, he was running at me, levelling a shot. One that would have hit- if not for my vomit on the ground. Look at me, thinking ahead and puking.

Oh wait. That was because of Lara. Technically, she saved my life. This prompted me to nod a silent thanks to Lara- or at least, it would have been silent had I not been wailing about being shot at.

Reaching the point that Jason was at, I was huffing, and puffing. And I must sweat a lot, too, because my clothes are soak-... Oh, wait. I pissed myself.

Damn.

Jason looked at me, and stifled his laughter- he knew it wasn't the time, or the place. But I would never hear the end of it after this...

If there was an after for us.

"Smoothskin. You alright?"he asks, placing a hand on my back. I shrug it off, spitting- to get the taste out of my mouth.

"I-I think so..." I stammered out, blinking away tears. I straightened my back, Jason beginning to kick back into action. "There's a guy back there.. he... He shot Lara. He'll be here soon. We should go."

He nodded in agreeance, the two of us beginning our race down the hallways, and winding corridors. The Ghoul seemed to know where he was going- except I was noticing that there seemed to now be multiple directions the gunfire was coming from. One form behind us...

The other up ahead. Shit. I also noticed something else. Jason had withdrawn his pistol, meaning he knew something was about to go down. "Jay.. what're you gonna do with that?"

He just nods his head- really all I needed to know. The Ghoul obviously knew what he was doing- what I wanted to know was -how- he knew. I remember, he told me once Ghouls live a long, long time. Maybe he had done something earlier... I don't know. I'll make sure to ask him, later.

Oh. There I go again, assuming we have a later. How silly of me.

Right before we rounded the corner, he stopped me, pressing his back up against the wall. He pushed me up against it, and I stayed there.

Placing a finger in front of his lips, I got the message- stay quiet. Alright. It was then that I noticed some people talking...

"Oi, Red, you said we di'n't need t'kill e'r'body. Happy y'lied, man, D'ja see what I did to th't guys face?" one voice says, laughing.

Another voice, presumably Red responded, "Yeah, man. Damn, you sprayed his head juice all over the fuckin' wall. I ain't seen anything like that since I was a Merc, man."

"Y-yeah, B-billy. I w-wish that I c-could be half as g-good as you..." a third voice chimed in. Ugh. Great,we got stuck with a bunch of... I don't even know. Whackos? How can you describe people like this...

Morons. Yeah. Anyways, back to their conversation.

"Yo, d'ja see wha'I did to th't one bitch? She was _fine_. An'er insides looked pretty good, too." the first voice brags, cackling.

"Y-yeah, B-billy. Th-that was a-awesome. C-can you teach me h-how to d-do that thing w-with the machete?"

"Yeah, Billy. You should teach me and Fix that." the second voice said.

"Def'n'tl-" the first voice was cut off.

By me sneezing. Fuck.

Jason's eyes, widen, as he cocks back the hammer on his gun- as quietly as possible.

"Wh'th'fuck was that?" the voice slurs, his question followed up by footsteps. Jason nods at me, and waves his hand- motioning for me to get down. So I do.

The first man rounds the corner- he was dirty looking, covered in grime, blood, and sweat. I also noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt- and in one hand was a mean looking gun, in the other a huge machete. It looked like a fucking sword.

Before the man could move, Jason was on him. The Ghoul pressed the barrel of his gun to the man's chest, and pulled the trigger three times, spraying crimson blood all over the walls. The man, who I'll refer to as 'Grimy', fell- and he fell hard. I barely noticed that the bag on my back was shaking, and moving. A lot. In fact, I just thought it was me.

Anyways, Grimy hit the floor with a wet slap, prompting Jason to continue his killing spree. Fix raised his gun- a small revolver- and took aim at Jason. Firing off a salvo of rounds, Jason barely managed to sidestep them in time. However, the moment he did, the muzzle of his gun flashed one more time- no more Fix.

Red, however, wouldn't fall so easily. Jay had shot a few more times, maybe twice, and both of the bullets slapped into the guys belly. He didn't even flinch. Sprinting towards Jason, the monster of a man tackled my friend, smashing him into the ground. I cringed- it looked like it had hurt. The two were now wrestling, the gun discharging a few times as they tried to force it out of the other's hand. It appeared as though the Ghoul was losing. Shit.

I decided I had to act fast- if I didn't, Jay would get crushed. Hefting my pipe up over my head, I charged in- I didn't even have a goal in mind, to be honest. This was probably a really bad idea.

But, I didn't care. Grabbing onto the huge man's collar, I heft my makeshift club up over my head, and bring it down- right on the man's spine. Now, I don't care if I'm not the biggest guy in the world- if you get hit by a pipe, it's gonna hurt. Or at least, it should. This guy...

This guy didn't even care. He shrugged it off, like I had just hit him with a fucking Styrofoam tube, or some shit. Turning around, while he choked out Jason, he growled at me- one hand shooting out towards my throat.

It wrapped around it, and he began strangling both me and my friend the corpse.

Shit.

My airways were being crushed, alongside Jason's. I was beginning to black out... in fact... Was I still conscious? My back was shaking, trembling... In fact... it felt like the trembling was travelling down my body, going along my arm...

Suddenly, I heard a yelp, and felt the pressure on my throat fade- followed by four gunshots. My eyes were open for a split-second, long enough for me to see Grubby nibbling on the giant's head, and the huge man fall. I then promptly lost consciousness.

Shit.

The first thing I remember is how... bright it is. And the smell. My eyes slowly fluttered open, and I realized something...

There was no ceiling. None. Nothing. My whole life, there had been a ceiling. And Artificial light. Something was comforting about it- and I found the lack of a ceiling to be...

Frightening.

I looked around- Jason was to my left. Had he carried me?

"J-Jay...How'd I get here?" I asked.

"I carried you." he answered, simply. 

Thing is, though, not only did he carry me out of the bunker...

He carried me far enough away that we could be hid in a makeshift shack. Standing up, I looked around- puzzled by the fact that we were... far. Far from anything I knew. I closed my eyes for a second, remembering what happened- I felt sick after I realized something. Not only had I seen Lara die, I watched my friend shoot and kill two men.

Friend. I just called Jason my friend. Ugh.

This day just keeps getting worse, and worse. I already miss the bunker. I doubt we have enough supplies to last us very long- I'm starting to wonder just how this is better than dying back at the bunker. I looked over at Jason, who had dozed off, Grubby on his lap.

And my only company was an annoying, murderous corpse, and an insect.

This day just kept getting better and better.

**Review, please. Any feedback is welcome, and positive will make me update! Thank you for reading!**

**-DBM**


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